Railroad station, Lexington Center.
"The Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad Company was incorporated in 1845 and the road from Cambridge to Lexington was built and first used in 1846. In 1874 it was extended to Concord and in 1886 double tracked from Arlington to Lexington.
This building was some 75 feet longer than it now is, and the locomotives were kept at night in the lower end which has been cut off. Those were the days of wood-burning engines. The fuel was supplied by the nearby farmers, and all the land from the station to Meriam Street was piled high with cord wood. A two-horse tread mill near the north end of the station furnished the power to cut up the wood. I can remember when we had 15 trains a day each way. There were such stations as "Brick Yards," "Milk Row," etc.
In 1871 our "new" Town Hall was to be dedicated. It was quite an affair - in proportion to the imposing four story brick building. There was a fine parade, exercises in the new building and then the Town fathers and invited guests repaired to the railroad station where a banquet was served. Such occasions have changed for at this banquet, not having had their fill of speeches in the Town hall, there were two more addresses followed by fourteen toasts and remarks. I presume it is from such events as this we get the expression "substantial citizens."
In this station was held the first meeting for the organization of the Lexington Savings Bank."